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| Joel |
Residents, including commercial motorcycle riders
in Somolu area of Lagos State, have accused policemen of constant harassment
and extortion.
The residents accused the policemen attached to
Alade Police Station of high-handedness and called on the Commissioner of
Police, Mr. Umar Manko, to intervene.
A commercial motorcycle rider, Sunday Joel, said
he was recently admitted in hospital after being brutalised by policemen.
He said, “On Sunday, I was riding my motorcycle
on Market Street when a group of policemen accosted me. As I attempted to evade
arrest, one of the policemen used a metal to hit me in the mouth while I was on
high speed; my tooth immediately fell out while my lips got torn.
“I’m not the only one that is suffering this
injustice. Most times whenever they arrest an okada rider, they collect
between N10,000 and N15,000 before returning it to him and these days policemen
just arrest you on almost every street in Somolu.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that it was not only okada
riders were falling victim to extortion. Residents alleged that policemen
in mufti moved around in commercial buses and made arrests indiscriminately.
Some of the residents, who were recently
arrested, told our correspondent that they parted with at least N5,000 each
before they were released.
A resident, who identified himself simply as
Wasiu, said his 14-year-old nephew was arrested by the policemen for unknown
reasons and remained in custody for four days.
He said, “On December 8, 2012, I had just
returned from church with my family but around 8pm, my nephew sneaked out to
play videogame on Anifowose Street and policemen arrested him. For two days we
were searching for him to no avail.
“It was later that a resident, who was released
from the station, told us that my nephew was in detention. We went to beg the
police and even explained to them that he is a teenager. They initially said we
should bring N15, 000 but they later settled for N5,000.”
Another resident, who was recently arrested, said
the policemen hardly allowed those arrested to write statements or record the
incident at the counter of the station.
The resident, who identified himself only as
Olawale, said the policemen usually made arrests between 7pm and midnight and
usually threatened to transfer ‘un-cooperative’ suspects to the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad.
He said, “I went to buy suya on Market
Street opposite my house when some policemen in a commercial bus ordered me
into the vehicle. When I asked them to state my offence, they said they would
explain to me when I got to the station.
“On our way to the station, two other people were
arrested. We were about 11 in all that were arrested and taken to the station.
On getting there, a senior officer said N5,000 should be collected from each
person and we should be released.
“The officer said, ‘this is Christmas season, let
them pay N5,000 each and be released. Then go out and make more arrests.’ I was
released at 3am after paying the money while those who opposed the policemen
were beaten up and detained.”
A 16-year-old girl, Omotola Falolu, told our
correspondent that she was arrested for standing in front of her compound on
Oluwalogbon Street.
She said, “Around 11pm last Wednesday, it was hot
inside and I just stood outside the compound, talking with a neighbour when
policemen accosted us. I told them that I was in front of my house but they did
not listen.
“I spent two days in detention before they
released me. The policemen refused to state my offence.”
Another resident, Adewale, who said he was
arrested on Craig Street, said despite showing the policemen his identity card,
he was still arrested and made to pay N5,000 before he was released.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state
police command, Ngozi Braide, said she was not aware of police extortion in the
area but added that it was not in the habit of the police to do so.
Punch
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